1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a training and practice aid for golfers and tennis players and more particularly to apparatus and method for helping a golf or tennis player improve his/her balance while practicing a swing.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of golf teaching aids is available to golfers and tennis players to help them with their swing. More specifically, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,335,117 to Reason-Kerkhoff discloses a step plate and a swivel plate mounted on a flat base. The plates have adjustable separation, with the step plate fixable in a plurality of locations relative to the swivel plate. The plates align the hitter's feet using toe stops. The step plate has a foot guard that forces the hitter to step toward the pitch. The swivel plate rotates about a vertical axis, and has foot-retaining straps that allow the heel to lift. The hitter learns to step toward the ball and swivel the back foot while swinging, turning the body, and shifting weight toward the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,301 to Cascerceri, et al. discloses a rocking footplate which alerts an athlete such as a golfer to the occurrence of improper rear foot weight placement. The footplate is placed under the athlete's rear foot and includes upper and lower plates which are joined by a hinge having an axis of rotation which is aligned with the center of the foot. The bottom of the device includes spikes which engage the ground to provide a stable base for the hinged top plate. The top plate is in the anatomical shape of a foot to aid proper foot placement on the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,004 to Florian discloses a golf training apparatus comprising a base pad with indicia for locating a golfer's feet for different golf swings, and a pair of footpads, one of which rocks on a fulcrum and the other is disposed in a non-rocking position for teaching a golfer a proper weight shift during his swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,027 to Kachmar discloses a device for stabilizing a golfer's feet and stance while he practices his swing. The device has a substantially flat mat in which a left foot gripping element and a right foot gripping element are each slidably engaged. The gripping element can secure a golfer's feet parallel to each other in a given stance while the golfer practices a golf swing. The gripping element can be slid nearer or farther away from each other and locked in the selected position to provide a variety of widths of stance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,036 to Hamilton discloses a flat horizontal platform mounted on a base by a central board between the two. A golfer stands on the platform addressing a ball in front of the platform. The platform tilts left or right about the left or right side of the center board if the golfer's center of weight shifts beyond the left or right side of the enter board. A clicker between the base and platform on the back-swing side, alerts the golfer to an improper weight shift toward the back-swing, providing feedback during training to eliminate this stroke motion error.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,673 to Castleberry discloses a golf-swing training apparatus having a base, a rotator disc for receiving one foot of a user, and means for anchoring the apparatus to a playing surface. The rotator disc is pivotably coupled to the base by a screw. Friction reducing means is coupled between the rotator disc and the base to reduce rotational friction. Using the apparatus when making a golf swing, the user's foot will rotate on the rotator disc allowing the user to rotate her torso easily with minimal swaying. In addition, the user will be able to lift her heel while keeping the ball of her foot on the rotator disc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,195 to Callanan discloses opposing right-hand and left-hand gripping portions or areas of a frame or circular disc. The gripping portions are spaced apart a distance somewhat equal to the golfer's waist width so that the arms are correctly positionable as in a proper golf stance and swing. By firmly grasping each gripping portion with the device positioned in front of the golfer similar to that of a golf club, the device may be swung and properly rotated during an entire practice golf swing to accurately simulate the hand, arm and body movement of a proper golf swing. Viewable arrow indicia positioned centrally on an obverse surface of the device viewably advises the golfer of the proper rotational orientation at each stage of the swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,290 to Sawyer discloses a swing training apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a users back foot except for pivotal movement; where the apparatus has a base member rotatably secured to a platform member; and, releasable securing means secures the user foot to the platform member for teaching the user the proper swing technique for baseball, softball and golf.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,863 to Stefani, et al discloses a base with a first foot pad and a second foot pad supported thereon, one of the foot pads being movable toward or away from the other foot pad. Each foot pad has a support surface upon which one foot of the golfer is placed. The support surface of the first foot pad is rotatable only from a horizontal position to an inwardly-facing position in relation to the second foot pad and the support surface of the second foot pad forms a predetermined angle with the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,739 to Johnson, III discloses a stepped surface upon which the golfer places his rear foot and a wand which extends in proximity to the rear hip. The upper surface of the base member, at the location of the rear foot of the golfer, includes a single step with the lower level beneath the inside edge of the foot and the upper level beneath the outside edge of the foot, the step itself being located approximately along the longitudinal center-line of the foot's position. Extending upwardly from the surface of the base member, a wand, positioned to be proximate the rear hip of the golfer during the normal pre-swing stance, indicates substantial body sway during the backswing by contact with the hip. The base member may include an artificial grass-like upper surface.